2014 Event 29-term U.S. Rep. John Dingell announces that he will retire at the end of his current term; the 87-year-old congressman says that his health is fine, but the hostile climate in Congress means that he can no longer do his job effectively 2012 Event Outgoing U.S. Senator Jim DeMint is replaced by GOP Congressman Tim Scott, the first black senator from the South since 1881 2012 Event The Republican party's presumptive presidential nominee Mitt Romney names Paul Ryan, a Wisconsin Congressman, as the Republican Party's vice presidential candidate in the November 2012 presidential election 1991 Death Hamilton Fish, congressman (NY), dies at 102 1989 Event Congressman Lukins found guilty of having sex with a 16 year old girl 1981 Event Rita Jenrette (wife of Abscam congressman) appears on Donahue 1954 Event Charles C. Diggs, Jr. elected Michigan's 1st black congressman 1944 Event Adam Clayton Powell elected 1st black congressman from East 1943 Birthday Elizabeth Ray, Marshall, North Carolina, congressman Wayne Hays lover 1934 Event Arthur L Mitchell, becomes 1st black Democratic congressman (Ill) 1918 Death George H White, last post Reconstruction congressman (Penn), dies 1915 Death Robert Smalls, Reconstruction congressman, dies at 75 in SC 1911 Event Victor Berger (Wisconsin) becomes 1st socialist congressman in U.S. 1884 Event Congressman John R Lynch presides over Republican National Convention 1871 Event Jefferson Long of Georgia sworn in as 2nd black congressman 1839 Birthday Robert Smalls, born in Beaufort, South Carolina, black congressman 1875-87, Rep-SC 1746 Birthday John Muhlenberg, Lutheran pastor/general/congressman
